Like "Painting in a Cloud"

The weather pattern has been bizarre during July. Morning clouds give way to afternoon sunshine. Sometimes evening brings great sunsets, which I can only imagine must be wonderful viewed from Duck Harbor Beach. Today a fine mist drizzled its way into my consciousness as I went about my garden chores, watering, deadheading, clipping here and there. People exclaim over my garden, but I know how much nicer it could be had there been rain. Perhaps the rain will come Friday night, eve of the Pan Mass Challenge?

We have a resident artist for a few days. Yesterday she went downtown and chatted with gallery owners. They told her artists enjoy painting Wellfleet because of the light. She was up early today, painting our house. How surprised the folks in the cottage were to see an easel in the yard! The cottage guests are Cahoon Hollow addicts. They spend every possible moment at the beach, dressed in Cahoon Hollow T-shirts and caps. So far, their week on Cape Cod has not offered ideal beach weather, compared to past years. Luckily, the weather is going to improve. We chatted before they headed out.

Meanwhile the artist was still painting, and I went back to tending the garden as the fog rolled in. She said, “It feels like painting in a cloud.” She was smiling, obviously enjoying herself. Apparently, the light in her Southern California hometown creates deep shadows. Here there are none, so there is no rush to finish a painting. Therefore, she took her time. Check out how lovely the result is!

Eco-Travel Stats

Here at Chez Sven, it is flower season. As I made fresh bouquets of cosmos and zinnias for our rooms, I thought about a recent survey reported by TripAdvisor. 38% of the people polled say they have stayed at an environmentally friendly hotel, and 9% seek them out. These people believe the most important qualities in a “green” hotel are: conserving energy, water, and using recycled paper. 34% would pay 5%-20% more to stay at an environmentally friendly hotel. 78% decline to have their sheets and towels changed. 66% think that traveling environmentally-friendly makes a difference. Those percentages can only rise as more people join the effort to save the planet.

Wellfleet Lavender

The garden smells of lavender at this time of year. Lavender grows well thanks to the sandy soil. Here on Cape Cod, we have a lavender farm in Harwich, which some of my guests have visited in the past. My guests from the south of France told me they have lavender in their garden, but cannot enjoy such a great variety of other flowers: snapdragons, cleome, black-eyed susan, zinnia. They took photos of my garden this morning, but how much nicer the display would be had there been more rain! Meanwhile, Catherine, our cottage guest, is really enjoying the bunnies, butterflies, and bees.

Friends of Wellfleet Libraries Hold Annual Book Sale

Everyone loves books, especially folks who summer in Wellfleet, it seems.
The Friends of the Wellfleet Libraries held their first annual book sale yesterday in front of Town Hall, and it was a huge success. The second sale will take place August 12. Fifty dedicated volunteers, led by Denny O’Connell, make this Wellfleet tradition an event not to miss. The volunteers collect used books throughout the year, then sort and box them. A team transports the books to Main Street where more volunteers set up tables and unload. Faithful patrons hover nearby awaiting the signal that the sale has begun. Come 9 a.m., the rare books table always receives the most ardent book-grabbers, while less frenzied attendees head for DVDs or plunge into the crowd in search of a book to read on the beach. Friends of the Wellfleet Libraries' Board members collect payment with a smile. (Recent hardbacks cost $3.) All morning customers mill about, discovering books they cannot live without. At 1 p.m., still more volunteers dismantle the tables and transport any leftovers back to the Book Shed. Another great sale is over. The Friends have earned money to benefit our library. Tourists and Wellfleetians have purchased inexpensive reading matter. Everyone leaves happy!

A July Day in the Life ...

Innkeeping duties become a blur as I think back over everything I did today. What I did not do is go to the beach, or for a walk. Those activities are more apt to happen off-season. Let’s start from the beginning. Over a cup of coffee, I entertained a guest from Houston who told me about the beauty of the bike trail through the Provincelands, a ride I had suggested yesterday. Then it was back into the kitchen to chop strawberries for breakfast. There were six guests around the table! My new friends from Houston were leaving, so after saying goodbye, I stripped their beds and did laundry, then vacuumed. During the afternoon, I worked in the garden in anticipation of the rain, forecast for Monday. We need a good day of rain, which would allow the flowers to grow higher, high enough so the rabbits cannot reach them. I welcomed new Studio guests at 4:30 and then watered the garden. All afternoon the phone kept ringing. First the Wellfleet Chamber was searching on behalf of people who had come by boat, without a reservation, and needed lodging. Then several other desperate folks called. I suggested the motels, or Eastham. It is early in the season for all the beds in Wellfleet to be taken, but I guess that just goes to show how popular our little town has become. After dinner, I baked banana bread for breakfast tomorrow and made yogurt. Whew! Busy, busy day!

Rain Comes & Benefits for Caleb

Much-needed rain finally arrived in Wellfleet. While clouds do not make the tourists happy, I must say gardeners rejoice, heads turned skyward to receive the sprinkles that also fell on wilted flowers and plants yesterday. My garden this year has faced not only a lack of rain but an abundance of bunnies, to the joy of one of our six-year-old guests. I bought a marvelous Limerock Coreopsis last week, which lasted only one night before the rabbits discovered its presence and bit off all the blossoms, to my great chagrin.

Other Wellfleet news: the Web site established for Caleb Potter provides regular updates on his condition and benefits now scheduled, which include an auction of prized plant specimens at The Farm in Orleans and a concert by the Rip It Ups at Mayo Beach July 26, here in Wellfleet, with oysters galore donated by Caleb's fellow shell fishermen. Raffle tickets, pirate flags and T-shirts will be on sale, and all funds will go to the Caleb Potter Benefit Fund. If you miss the Mayo Beach concert, on August 1 the band Squida will play at 5 pm at Wicked Oyster. Caleb Potter is one well-loved lad. The outpouring of energy and prayer is awesome. Someone expressed their hope for Caleb’s full recovery by decorating the Transfer Station fence.

Anyone for Thrift Shopping?

Thrift and consignment shops are alive and well here on Cape Cod. Thrift-shoppers should note that a new blue leaflet has just been issued with an update of addresses and hours of operation. The Outer Cape now offers half a dozen thrift shop/consignment shop experiences. Strangely enough, some of my favorite haunts did not make the list.

Let’s start in Provincetown with “Ruthie’s Boutique,” located on Bradford Street, near the center of town. If you are looking for outrageous fashion, Ruthies is the place to go. For years Ruthie herself used to welcome shoppers, many of whom became friends and stepped in after her passing to continue Ruthie's effort to raise money for Outer Cape Health Services, by volunteering at the cash register. Wellfleet’s A.I.M. on Main Street supports Outer Cape Health as well. Odds and ends for the household await discovery on A.I.M’s shelves. There is also a selection of books and clothing.

A Will o’the Wisp is a brand new consignment shop at 2 Truro Center Road. Roberta Lema has managed to gather quite a collection of antiques, china, art, and bric-a-brac, which thrift-shop regulars will enjoy perusing. This pleasant, airy shop is worth a look. There seems to be something for everyone here.

My favorite consignment shop remains Orleans Community Exchange, in a new spot at 64 Main and managed by a new crew of ladies and gents. Sales benefit Nauset Region and Cape Cod Tech Scholarships. Consigners also shop here, which means the selection of items for sale changes on a regular basis.

Happy thrift-shopping to everyone!

Bits & Pieces

Yesterday I attended a get-together hosted by Clean Power Now at the Flying Fish here in Wellfleet. Wendy Williams, co-author of Cape Wind, was on hand to sign books. There were not as many attendees as expected because 200 Wellfleetians had gathered at the Wicked Oyster in an effort to coordinate fund-raising for Caleb Potter’s recovery. Today the Provincetown Banner posted an article about the incredible spirit that has united our small town over the past week. The reporter neglected to site one of the main reasons: the Mustard Seed Kitchen, which Caleb’s mom founded and ran while her boys were teenagers. Ten years ago I reported on this successful effort to keep Wellfleet’s young people off the streets in an article which appeared in American Profile. Those same young people and their parents surround the Potters now. To contribute to the Caleb Potter Benefit Fund, stop by any Cape Cod Five branch and make a deposit.

Speaking of fund-raising, a committee of dedicated Wellfleetians of a different generation have united to raise money for Wellfleet’s new Preservation Hall
(see March 13 blog), which will be located in the former Catholic Church on Main Street. The incredible doors, created by itinerant artist Jonathan Kendall, will be on exhibit at the Cape Cod Museum of the Arts in Dennis, July 14-August 25. The project will cost $2.2 million. For information on how to participate, go to this Web site.

"Do You Have Any Rooms Available in August?"

How many times have I heard this question of late! Fielding calls makes me feel for the tourists who are scrambling to find nice accommodation August 1-22. When locals talk about ‘high season,’ they really should refer to this period alone and raise prices across the board. While Wellfleet is popular in July, there are always rooms available somewhere, perhaps not here at Chez Sven, but somewhere, and I tell callers to check with the Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce. August is another story altogether. It is a shame so many tourists choose to take their vacation at the same time. Folks with families often have children free between camp and school, which explains motivation. But Wellfleet is so much nicer in September. If you have no school-age children, consider postponing your holiday to a month when the town is more civilized and traffic less intense. The weather is usually great in September. The ocean is warmer. There are spaces available in the town hall parking lot and you do not have to wait in line at local shops, which sometimes start sales early. In talking to tourists over the phone, I always confirm their choice of Wellfleet. It is really one of the more beautiful towns on the Cape. From Wellfleet, it is easy to set off and explore Chatham, or Provincetown. Yesterday I drove a guest to the airport in P-town. The beauty of the Provincelands (above this blog) takes the breath away ...

Pray for Caleb!

Yesterday the sirens were screeching off and on all day. We do not like sirens, because they signify someone's in trouble, someone may be on their way to the hospital. It was not a good day to be traveling down to Hyannis by ambulance. With rain and fog, tourists deserted the beaches and took their cars onto Route 6. Our cottage guests got stuck in traffic caused by a morning accident near Lieutenant Island Road. The head-on collision killed a man from Truro and injured five others. I was thinking about how different Wellfleet becomes in summer. People rush, chaos ensues. Their agenda is vacation, not work. Not that there is anything wrong with being on vacation.

I used to be a tourist, too. I found a blog by a tourist who captures the excitement well. She allowed me to quote from her blog: "I'm sitting on the lawn with a gin and tonic. The funny old Yankee who owns the house is puttering around fixing things. Youngest is reading a magazine beside me, and E is chatting about salad. We've done the beach, we've done the town. In two short days we've established routines. Walk for a latté in the morning, discuss the plans for the day over pastry, hit the beach for low tide, back to the house for showers,
town for amusement, the lawn for drinks, inside for dinner, sit around and laugh, take turns walking a baby, give attention to a nephew, football on the lawn, guitars after dinner, lots of wine and cheese, fall into bed early, church bells in the distance.”

Sounds like a nice vacation. I found Say La Vee because I was Googling for news of Caleb Potter, injured in a second major accident that happened yesterday. Since no Medivac helicopter was available, Caleb was transferred to Cape Cod Hospital in an ambulance. I know Caleb’s mother, Sharon. Everyone in Wellfleet knows Sharyn. For years she used to bring her boys over at Christmas with flowers for my elderly mom. Mother always kept a few chocolate bars to give the boys in return. Now Caleb needs our prayers. Friends have hung signs like the one above all over town. Everyone is talking about the accident and worrying about Caleb. The latest I heard was that he had been transferred to Mass General in Boston. Prayer circles have been organized every day at 11 am and 9 pm. For updates on his condition, click here

WHAT's Selected Shorts a Winner!

Wellfleet has a marvelous new theater. I know, I know. This information is, by now, common knowledge. But today I can attest to its magnificence since I attended Selected Shorts, a presentation of symphonyspace, sponsored by the Cape and Islands NPR Stations and hosted by Isaiah Sheffer. The Julie Harris Stage, which seats 200, has a cozy, intimate feel. The sound was perfect, the seats soft and inviting. After a short introduction by Mr. Sheffer, actress Laura Esterman captivated the audience with her reading of Pamela Painter’s short story “Custody.” Her performance was followed by “to mock the years” by Wellfleet writer Arturo Vivante, read by Jeff Zinn. Both Ms. Painter and Mr. Vivante were present and took bows. Following intermission, Isaiah Sheffer conducted an impromptu sing-the-rest-of-that-tune sing-a-long with the audience, prior to reading Michael Cunningham’s excellent “White Angel.” As the theatergoers filed out I could tell from their smiles that everyone had enjoyed the show. The evening benefit for WHAT will be repeated tomorrow, July 3.

Cape Cod View's Lists Top 200

Cape Cod View has come up with a Top 200. The list shows a bit more pizzazz and creativity than the choices from yesterday's Cape Cod Life in that the editors asked a dozen “people in the know” – including Wellfleet’s own Jeff Zinn – to make recommendations. It seems like many members of the panel do not frequent the Outer Cape because the winners are often in Hyannis and Falmouth or the islands. Here are some local favorites: Cottage Street Bakery in Orleans, The Wicked Oyster, Red Barn Pizza in Eastham, Abba in Orleans for “Overall Dining Experience,” Moby Dick’s, Karol Richardson, Bayberry Garden Center in Truro, Snow’s extraordinary department store in Orleans, Left Bank Gallery, Mac’s Seafood, Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, W.H.A.T., Province Lands Bike Trail in Provincetown, Cahoon Hollow Beach (just two miles up the road) and The Beachcomber in separate categories. No one mentioned his/her favorite Cape Cod blog. However, a Cape Cod View reporter did devote his first The Click column to Wellfleet Chezsven blog, reason to smile, don't you think?

“The do-it-yourself Internet is made out of Web homesteaders like Alexandra Grabbe. Grabbe runs a bed-and-breakfast in Wellfleet with her husband Sven and writes about it on her blog. Their B & B, Chez Sven, tailors to travelers who like their food organic and their hospitality chemical free (no bleached bed sheets here!). And for the virtual visitor, Grabbe’s Web=log (or blog) gives a writerly window into life around Wellfleet. Peppered with dazzling photos of the Cape’s changing seasons, she treats the day-to-day of being an innkeeper with a light, inviting touch. 'I do not think our vegetable planting will be as extensive this year,' she writes. 'If I have my way, the garden will be more flowery: cosmos, calendula, Milk Maid nasturtiums, sunflowers … I did order five pounds of potatoes for Sven, however.' One way to find Grabbe’s blog is via the B & B’s Web site, www.chezsven.com.”

Cape Cod Life Picks Winners on Outer Cape

Cape Cod Life has published its Best Of lists for 2007. The Outer Cape winners: Wicked Oyster, silver for Fine Dining; silver to Moby Dick’s for Family Dining; silver to the Beachcomber for Outdoor Restaurant; silver to the Bookstore for Water View Restaurant; gold to the Bookstore and silver to the Beachcomber for Seafood Restaurant; gold to the Bookstore for Restaurant Reachable by Boat; silver to the Wicked Oyster for Breakfast; silver to Moby Dick’s for Lunch; silver to Moby Dick’s for Chowder; silver to the Wellfleet Chocolate Sparrow for Fudge; gold to the Beachcomber for Night Life/Music; gold to the Inn at Duck Creeke for Piano Bar; gold to Eventide Motel & Cottages for Motel and Cottages; gold to Marconi Beach for the Best Beach; silver to Wellfleet Harbor for the Best Harbor for Cruising; silver to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary for Walking/Bike Path; gold to the Left Bank Gallery for Fine Arts & Crafts; silver to Periwinkle for Shop for the Home; silver to Farmhouse Antiques for Antiques; gold to Kelley’s Flowers for Best Flower shop; silver to Herridge Books for Bookstore; gold to Abiyoyo for Children’s Shop; gold to the Wellfleet Cinema for Best Rainy Day Activity; gold to Cahoon Hollow Beach for Best Picnic Spot; silver to Chequessett Yacht and County Club for Golf Course; gold to the Cape Cod National Seashore and silver to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary for Park/Nature Area. Whew! That’s a lot of awards for Wellfleet. No wonder people come by plane, boat, car, bike, mobile home. Too bad Cape Cod Life does not include a Best Green category ..

Confirmation of Innkeeper Experience

Here is the view from the Studio steps, towards the main house. This blog had only 32 hits yesterday, but 1077 during the month of June. Readers do not always leave comments, which makes it hard to know what people think. I was wondering about the exasperation blog I wrote a couple days ago when I received this message from Linda Murphy at the Bird's Nest B & B in Tivoli, New York, confirming other innkeepers have had identical experience and feel the same way: "Hi, I've enjoyed reading your blog because I too have a bed and breakfast ...our 14th year. The early phone calls made me laugh - when the phone rings at 6 a.m., I think something bad, someone has died, and I hear 'Do you have availability tonight? ...' Thanks for a great site, great info, and great pictures."

Phone-call Etiquette

Calling friends before 9:30 a.m. is not regular practice as it is thought to be inconsiderate. Ditto for calling a bed & breakfast prior to 9:30 a.m. From now on, people who call before 8:30 a.m. will simply get the cold shoulder. I have also decided not to respond to early-morning messages. If callers want lodging that badly, they will phone again later. Morning is a very busy time for innkeepers, who do not offer a buffet. When I am making and serving breakfast, it is not an ideal moment to give a description of our location in Wellfleet or explain the benefits of a green b & b. After breakfast, I frequently go into the garden and deadhead flowers in summer, returning inside once the heat of the day intensifies.

Calling friends after 10 p.m. is a no-no. Calling a bed & breakfast late at night should be, too. Innkeepers often get up very early and need a good night’s sleep, especially innkeepers at establishments that allow children. Here at Chez Sven, this week we have guests from Sweden with a three-year-old and a two-year-old. The house was perfectly quiet by 8 p.m. I turned in myself at 9, knowing we would all be rising at dawn, and we did! You can bet we will go to bed early again tonight.

Conclusion, call after 10 a.m, and before 10 p.m. Show consideration when you call an innkeeper. It is usually possible to tell from a Web site whether he/she prefers to be contacted over the Internet. Here at Chez Sven email is our preferred initial method of contact. I answer all email as soon as possible. I will be glad to answer questions over the phone, but prefer to be called at a decent time ...

Vacation = Relaxation

Perfect weather in Wellfleet this weekend. Here are photos of a few of our recent guests, relaxing in the garden. My neighbor commented on their contentment and said she would love to be able to stretch out on a lounge chair herself and enjoy her visit the same way but must stay busy preparing her house for summer tenants. It is a good year to come to Wellfleet. My guests report amazing numbers of whales on whale-watching trips from Provincetown, breaching humpbacks for the most part. They also tell me the premiere of “The Clean House” at Wellfleet Harbor Actors’ Theatre (new Julie Harris Stage) last Thursday was a memorable experience. I hope to be able to fit in an evening out myself one of these days. All in all, June 2007 has been a wonderful month for vacationing on Cape Cod ...

Sam Cooks Brings International Flavor to Wellfleet!

Need a bite to eat between the beach and W.H.A.T.? Check out Sam Cooks, a fancy new deli, bakery, and café located at Cove Corners in the space that used to house Christine’s Oasis. Sam Cooks is the brainchild of world-traveler Sam Baker (yup, that’s his real last name!), a Newton native who summered in Wellfleet for 20 years. A fascination for food prompted Sam to dabble in part-time catering and inspired the dream of owning a restaurant. When Christine and Bob Costa put their business up for sale last year, Sam saw an opportunity to make that dream come true. A passion for ethnic cuisine motivated his decision to feature international foods. Each week the menu will include dishes from two countries, as well as one region of the United States. Portugal, China, and the Mid-Atlantic are this week’s culinary destinations. Sam Cooks will offer more prepared meals and take-out than Christine’s Oasis, but those famous muffins and scones, hot from the oven, will still be available every morning. For lunch, try the salads and shish kabobs. Sam and his staff look forward to welcoming summer visitors and locals alike. Sam Cooks will be open through Labor Day.

What is the Studio?

Our Studio is located in the garden. Now that Seagull Cottage and Liberty Coin Suite are fully booked through August 19, more people are requesting information on the Studio. It was built in 2003, with recycled floorboards from a porch we removed from the front of the old house. The brick pathways are made out of bricks from the porch foundation. Guests love staying in the Studio (for comments, see Web site). It is Sven's favorite place to sleep because of all the windows (seven!) The Studio is depicted to the right. To the left, our renovated guestroom.

Things To Do On the Beach

Wellfleet’s ocean beaches are renown for their beauty. The water, however, is extremely cold at this time of year. Sticking one’s toe in feels like there should be ice cubes floating beside the driftwood. In any case, tourists do not necessarily visit our beaches to swim. There are lots of other things to do. In fact, I can think of at least half a dozen:

1.) Sunbathe
2.) Watch surfers at high tide
3.) Beachcomb (not many shells these days, but look what the tide brought in!)
4.) Build sandcastles

5.) Fly a kite
6.) Watch the intrepid hang glide off the cliff at White Crest
7.) Walk or jog
8.) Admire the view
9.) Splash in the waves with a boggeyboard
10.) Slow down and enjoy life ….

Kid-Friendly, in Wellfleet

Yesterday, while waiting for guests to arrive, I got a call from a gallery. “I’ve got some folks who are looking for your bed and breakfast,” a female voice said. “Where are you located?”
I gave quick directions. Then I sat and waited for a half hour. No one showed up. After I stopped waiting, a white rental car slowly meandered up Old King’s Highway. The car contained a tired German couple with a cranky five-year-old, seeking an affordable bed & breakfast for four nights. They were not the guests I had been expecting but looked so lost that I decided to help them find a room, since Chez Sven is full.

The gentleman followed me into the house. In his Guide to Wellfleet, he had circled all the kid-friendly establishments. I called the first one and got an answering machine. At the second, I got a friend of the owners who told me there was no one home. Down the list I went. Duck Creek Inn accepts kids but all 27 rooms were full. Sweet Liberty is new. Surely, it would be eager for early season guests? I dialed the number and reached the owner, busy doing last-minute painting. “Sorry! Kids over 10 only,” he said.

Having exhausted all Wellfleet options, I called the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce. An employee told me that the bed and breakfasts in her town, as a rule, do not accept children. I was able to obtain the name of one that does, the Surfside Inn. What’s more, it had a vacancy, as well as a pool. Off my Germans went with a Chez Sven card, which I hope they will share with all their friends back in Dusseldorf. This little exercise taught me that most bed and breakfasts on the Outer Cape are not an option for families. Sad to say, since Wellfleet, in June, is perfect for a family vacation ….